Elizabeth Freund Larus, Waple Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, organized and chaired the Roundtable “Security Dynamics in the Asia-Pacific” at the International Studies Association-Hong Kong conference June 15-18, 2017, in Hong Kong. She also presented her research paper, “U.S. Naval Coalition Building and Regional Security in the Asia-Pacific,” at the conference.
Magrakvelidze Publishes Article in the Journal of Physics
Maia Magrakvelidze, assistant professor in the Physics Department, co-authored an article with Himadri S. Chakraborty titled “Attosecond time delays in the valence photoionization of xenon and iodine at energies degenerate with core emissions” in the Journal of Physics: Conference Series 875, 022015 (2017), published online on Aug. 18, 2017. (See link: http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/875/3/022015?pageTitle=IOPscience)
Bylenok Publishes Poem “Homologue: Husband”
Over the summer, the journal Vinyl published Assistant Professor of English Laura Bylenok’s poem “Homologue: Husband,” which can be found here:
http://vinylpoetryandprose.com/2017/06/laura-bylenok/
Machande Wins Topher Bill Faculty Service Award
Ken Machande, acting dean and associate professor in the College of Business at the University of Mary Washington, has been recognized with the J. Christopher Bill Outstanding Faculty Service Award for his contributions to the University as well as his involvement and leadership in the community. The award was presented at the University’s opening faculty meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 22.
“He has put his heart and soul into UMW,” said Teresa Coffman, chair of the University Committee on Sabbaticals, Fellowships, and Faculty Awards, who presented the annual honor.
Machande has been a member of the UMW faculty since 2000. Before accepting his new role, he served as associate dean in the College of Business.
“Ken always goes above and beyond for UMW,” said Associate Professor of Accounting Dave Henderson. “He has taught overloaded classes without extra pay, tutored accounting students who are not in his class, and has recently taken on the role of interim dean of the College of Business. His commitment to UMW and to the students makes him the perfect choice for the Topher Bill Award.”
Machande is “the most ‘can-do’ person we know at UMW,” according to a faculty member who nominated him for the award. “He is the first to volunteer when something needs to be done in the College of Business. Ken rarely says ‘no’ when asked to serve.”
While serving as associate dean, Machande taught multiple classes and supervised more than 200 student internships and numerous independent studies courses. He is recipient of the 2007 Mary W. Pinschmidt Award selected by the graduating class as the faculty member “whom they will most likely remember as the one who had the greatest impact on their lives.”
A certified public accountant, Machande is a sought after nonprofit board member, according to one faculty member. Since 2011, he has served as treasurer and board member of the Thurman Brisben Homeless Shelter and has been treasurer of the Serenity Home board of directors since 2012. He also served as treasurer of the Friends of the Rappahannock executive committee for eight years.
Machande earned an M.B.A. from Albany State University, a B.L.S. from UMW and an associate degree from the University of Maryland.
The Topher Bill Award was established through an endowment provided by former students, colleagues, friends and family of the late Christopher Bill, a member of the UMW faculty for nearly 30 years. He died in 2001.The selection criteria for the award stipulates that the recipient must have served a minimum of seven years as a member of the Mary Washington teaching faculty and must have been heavily and consistently involved in a variety of service capacities, including departmental, university-wide and community service. Nominations may be submitted by any member of the teaching faculty, staff or student body of the university.
Anand Rao to Give ‘Mary Talk’ Sept. 13
Please join us on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. for the first Mary Talk of the 2017-18 academic year! Mary Talks are lectures and insightful discussions with Mary Washington’s outstanding faculty and administrators; this year’s series kicks off with Anand Rao, Associate Professor of Communication and Director of the Speaking Intensive Program at UMW, presenting Moving Your Audience: Techniques for Persuasive Speaking.
If you feel like your audiences are more resistant and jaded than ever before, you are not alone. Audience members have been inundated with sales pitches, advertisements, and persuasive appeals for years, and they can see through the typical smoke and mirrors. Dr. Rao will share insights into what motivates contemporary audiences and techniques on how to engage an audience and inspire them to take action.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with a question and answer session and a dessert reception to follow the talk. Although this event is free to attend, your registration is kindly requested. Please visit www.alumni.umw.edu/raomarytalk to register. We look forward to seeing you there!
If you will be attending the Mary Talk on September 13, plan to come a bit early and enjoy a wide array of international culinary delights at the Global Café Dinner! This annual culinary event is sponsored by Campus Dining and the Center for International Education to help promote the study abroad programs while offering foods from nearly every corner of the world. The menu will include dishes from Argentina, Spain, Morocco, China, India, Ukraine, England, France, Italy and more! Alumni and those attending the Mary Talk may purchase dinner for the discounted price of $11, tax included! Dinner service begins at 5:00 p.m. at the “Top of the UC,” located on the fourth floor of the University Center (former location of Chandler Hall). To make reservations, contact Rose Benedict at 540-654-2169 or e-mail Campus Dining at Dining@UMW.edu.
Roberts Tapped for DOD Post
Guy Roberts
UMW faculty member Guy B. Roberts is poised to take a top position with the United States Department of Defense. President Donald J. Trump announced last week his intent to nominate Roberts as assistant secretary of the DOD’s nuclear, chemical and biological defense (NCBD) programs. To read more, visit
http://www.umw.edu/news/2017/08/15/umw-professor-tapped-top-dod-position.
Laura Mentore featured on With Good Reason
Professor Laura Mentore will be featured on the With Good Reason public radio program in an encore presentation that airs Aug. 19-25.
In the show, “It’s a Jungle Out There,” Mentore discusses her research with the Waiwai, an indigenous people of Guyana, and how she discovered the path of a special songbird from the rainforest to New York City. Read more.
Hirshberg’s Book Reviewed for American Academy of Religion
Remembering the Lotus-Born, the recent monograph by Dan Hirshberg, assistant professor of religion, was reviewed in Reading Religion for the American Academy of Religion.
Richards Speaks at North Carolina Writers Conference
Gary Richards, Associate Professor of English and Chair of the Department of English, Linguistics, and Communication, was one of three invited members on a panel titled “Celebrating Allan Gurganus” at The North Carolina Writers Conference held in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, July 28-29. The conference honored Gurganus, the author of Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, White People, Plays Well with Others, The Practical Heart, and Local Souls, among other books. Richards has published on Gurganus’ Plays Well with Others, reviewed his Local Souls, and routinely taught his works in Southern literature and contemporary U.S. fiction courses.
Buster-Williams Gives Keynote
Kimberley Buster-Williams, vice president for enrollment management, gave the keynote address at Paskill, Stapleton and Lord’s summer conference. The conference was titled “The Making of a Super Recruiter: Making Good Recruiters Great.”
The conference, held July 20-21, 2017, in downtown Philadelphia, was designed to provide top Admission talent “next level training.” Led by PS&L consultants, participants were challenged to develop better internal communication skills, become more articulate representatives of their institution, hone their sales skills, and to move beyond the basics of Admissions 101. Participants were led through a series of workshops, utilizing small group breakout sessions.
The title of Buster-Williams’ address was “No Mud, No Lotus: Becoming a Super Recruiter.”